custom pet portraits • fine art • commissions

Tag: best pet gifts

Recently I've posted a bit about my colorful pet portraits, but did you know that I also paint realistic dog portraits from photos (or cats, horses, you name it!)? I absolutely love to paint classical, elegant portraits of dogs, cats and other pets.

These small, custom pet portraits are absolutely adorable and are perfect as gifts or as “pocket portraits” to fit easily in your cubicle at work, on your bedside table, or even into your suitcase when you travel! Slide one into somebody special’s stocking during the holidays or tuck one into a little gift bag for a BIG surprise! These little beauties have the same high quality work put into them as my very popular larger portraits on canvas… they’re just smaller!

These portraits are painted on DaVinci Pro Panels – strong wood panels crafted from fine-grained Birch wood for long-term warp resistance and a fantastic archival painting surface. They are gesso-primed, painted with professional acrylic paints, then finished with a beautiful gloss varnish for protection, beauty and longevity.

It's time to start thinking about Christmas gifts, especially if you want to give a unique, custom gift such as a hand-painted pet portrait. I already have half-a-dozen orders in for Christmas. I love those early orders, because they give plenty of time for me to spend making their portrait just right!

I have many options available for the pet-lovers on your Christmas list. Check out my Pet Portraits page for a variety of styles of custom-painted portraits for everybody on your list. I offer everything from traditional pet portraits, to bold and colorful pet portraits, to tattoo-style paintings of you pet… even Day of the Dead style pet paintings! A custom pet portrait is a one-of-a-kind gift that is surprisingly affordable and sure to be treasured for years to come. My portrait options start at less than $100!

If you're looking for something a little different for the dog or cat lover on your Christmas list, try browsing around my Etsy shop. I have many ready-made gifts such as hand-painted tote bags with a variety of art on them, already painted dog and cat art, prints and more. Explore, and find a hand-made gift for everybody on your list!

Happy holiday shopping!

Click on any of the images below to order a similar style of pet portrait! You'll see all of the size and pricing options right on the page in my shop.

I don't do sales very often, but I'm doing one now… that means that my pet portraits, prints, hand-painted tote bags, hand-painted jewelry boxes, and original art are ALL on sale! Check out my Etsy store at www.artbyisadora.etsy.com to browse all of the awesomeness that you an save on.

I painted three memorial pet portraits this week, and as I finished the third, it struck me how beautiful it is that each customer had a very specific and personal idea about how they wanted the portrait created.

One wanted angel wings on their sweet boy, one wanted a more traditional portrait, and one wanted a very stylized portrait showing his beloved girl in the tall grass in which she loved to play, with a bird in the sky reminding him how she loved to chase after them.

It's such an honor to be asked to create these pet memorials.

It is never easy to lose a pet. They are members of our family, our "fur babies" as I call my own dogs. I think a beautiful custom portrait that will last for generations is a lovely way to honor their memory.

In addition to the three styles I mention in this article, I have more portrait options on my Pet Portraits page.

August is around the time I start getting inquiries for Christmas orders. It may seem a bit early, but here's a secret… I LOVE the early holiday shoppers! It gives me that extra bit of breathing room to work on their portraits before the big holiday rush.

Here are a few great ideas for holiday gifts for the pet lover in your life!

Colorful Pet Portrait

Giving somebody a portrait of their favorite pet is an amazing holiday gift. It shows forethought, planning, and it is completely unique. Plus, it's handmade, so there is ZERO possibility that somebody will give them the same gift. Plus, it lasts a lifetime. Every time they see that portrait on the wall, they'll remember how thoughtful you were to give them a gift that touched their heart, because there is nothing a pet lover appreciates more than something related to their beloved dog, cat, horse, iguana, parakeet… you get the picture!

"Pocket Sized" Colorful Pet Portrait

Slide one of these mini portraits into somebody special's stocking or tuck one into a little gift bag for a BIG surprise! These small, custom pet portraits are absolutely adorable and are perfect as gifts or as "pocket portraits" to fit easily in your favorite pet lover's cubicle at work, bedside table, or even into a suitcase to take that pet's image along during travel! These little beauties have all of the same quality as a larger portrait… they're just smaller! What a fun, unique and thoughtful gift.

Surreal Style Pet Portrait

If your favorite pet lover leans towards the more unusual things in life, this is a gift like no other! These custom portraits are a fusion of my contemporary painting style with the amazingly beautiful Mexican Day of the Dead style for a truly unique piece of art featuring your beloved animal. It is a dreamy and surreal take on portraiture that is sure to please the dog or cat lover on your Christmas list!

Tattoo Style Pet Portrait

Does the pet lover on your list like a little rock-n-roll mixed in with their art? Then this tattoo-style pet portrait is just the ticket to ace your Christmas giving this holiday season. These 8" x 10" portraits are painted in fluid acrylics on hand-made rice paper with a gorgeous emulsion of sea shell powder that gives it a lustrous surface. They are custom portraits created from your photos in a really special and unusual style, with the pet's name hand-painted right in the banner. Nobody will be expecting this amazing gift!

Pick Any of my Other Hand-Painted Gifts for the Win!

Maybe a portrait just isn't what you want to give. No problem! I have a wide selection of hand-painted gifts in my store that are ready to please the most discriminating pet lover on your shopping list. From hand-painted tote bags and pillows, to prints, jewelry boxes, and even some original paintings already painted and ready to hang on the wall, I've got you covered. Stop by my store and browse around!

Best Gifts for Pet Lovers

When it comes to people who adore their pets, you know what kind of gifts they treasure most. Gifts that relate to their pets! Even better are personalized pet gifts. The challenge can be finding items they don't already have, and ones that will last a long time.

The best gift for the dog, cat or horse lover in your life (or bird, reptile, you name it!) may be a portrait of their pet. Looking at the responses I've received from some of my clients who have commissioned a portrait of a friend or loved one's pet, it's a surefire win in the gifting department!

"When I saw the painting for the first time I was amazed and knew my wife would love it… [it] even brought her to tears. This one painting symbolizes so much for me, my wife and our puppy Rey…"

"Beautiful. I couldn't think of a better way to honor the memory of my dog… I love it!"

"Such wonderful paintings! I can't wait to order more!"

"Perfect gift for a family that recently lost their pet."

If you'd like to order a portrait, the process is easy and fun! Click here to view available sizes and pricing details. You can also give a gift certificate for a portrait to allow your friend or loved one to be a part of the process as I create the painting.

Bottom line: the perfect gift that will last a lifetime is a click away. How easy was that?